Which Halfords then currently for XC/trail ?

weeksy59

So i'm sitting in a dilema as usual.

I've got the heavyweight hardtail currently Specialized Hardrock sport disk 09 minor upgrade on the forks/brakes but nothing spectacular. I really love the bike as it does everything i've thrown at it with ease.

However work does the C2W scheme and it's almost silly to miss out on what can be a cracking bargain. Can't see any reason i can't get £150+ back for the Specialized so makes the Halfords jobbie seem a really good bargain.

Now, i'd put the max budget in there for me at £900 and that's about the max of my restrictions.

The biggest debate i'm facing is hardtail or FS. I've not really liked any of the FS's i've tried, CUBE AMS100, Spec FSR comp 09, Bionicon. They just don't give me an enjoyable ride up the hills, although i must admit, XC and downhill i can see the appeal of the FS.

Is the FS climbing something you get used to ? i.e the inability to get up off the seat properly. Do you just sort of get your head around spinning it and getting up the hills ?

So... assuming all the above, but leaving it open for HT/FS what would be the current recommendations ?

Obviously it doesn't have to be something stocked in Halfords, but has to be something they can realistically get in.

I'm thnking sort of between the Boardman FS, the Boardman team, the high spec Carrera carbon jobbie, or even a Rockhopper of decent spec ordered in.

I've also owned a few Carreras and loved them, tried a Gary Fisher hohkokhokhokhhhokok something or other and hated it, but could have just been setup.

Any thoughts gents ?

Daz555

weeksy59 wrote:

Is the FS climbing something you get used to ? i.e the inability to get up off the seat properly. Do you just sort of get your head around spinning it and getting up the hills ?

Spinning is the key and it is not worth standing up and mashing the pedals unless you have locked the rear shock out.

weeksy59

See, i don't like that.

Anonymous

I can climb out of the saddle just fine on my bikes. As long as you're pedalling smoothly it's not a problem.

ride_whenever

Climbing out of the saddle doesn't appear to be an issue based on what i saw last night, fitness is a far bigger factor.

cat_with_no_tail

I've always struggled with climbing out of the saddle, even on Hardtails. I personally much prefer shifting down and spinning out, I'm much faster like this and can keep going much further.
As mcgee said, it comes down to smooth pedalling, something I dont seem to be able to do stood up.

Anonymous

I have a knee injury at the moment, which means I struggle to pedal smoothly whilst seated. Oddly this meand I'm smoother whilst standing at the moment.
But, the kickers is... Even though I can pedal better whilst standing, I struggle to put the power down. This is because I can't support my weight, AND put power through the pedals, or my knee goes bang.

(Edited, that was the most illegible post ever!)

llamafarmer

Daz555 wrote:

Spinning is the key and it is not worth standing up and mashing the pedals unless you have locked the rear shock out.

Never had a problem climbing out of the saddle on my FS, unless it's fireroad the shock just helps me get more traction most of the time. If it is fireroad I flick it into pro pedal.

weeksy59

LOL i'm not you though lads...

i don't find it smoother/better/nicer/easier... LOL.

I find it all of the above if i can get off the bike and power the hills.

Anonymous

I think the general consensus, weeksy, is that you haven't got the knack of pedalling sorted. Doesn;t matter if you're on a hardtail or a full suss, smooth pedalling will benefit you.
So, in answer to your question

Is the FS climbing something you get used to ?

Yes it is. It's a "skill" you develop. However it is not specific to full suss.


And (again) just for the record. Both my full suss bikes climb better than my hardtail, on anything apart from a tarmac, road hill.

weeksy59

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I think the general consensus, weeksy, is that you haven't got the knack of pedalling sorted. .

I find that very easy to believe

Daz555

FS bikes do have a tendency to bounce if you do not pedal smoothly (standing or sitting). It is of course 'easier' to pedal smoothly whilst seated but this does not mean you cannot develop an efficient style when standing.

Of course features like lockout mean, if you want, you can make a FS feel just like a HT anyway. I rarely use the lockout on my FS - I generally save it for buttery smooth fireroad or tarmac and to be honest you don't get much of that on a typical day out. However, lots of other riders happily switch the lockout on and off as they make their way round the trail.

I climb seated 99% of the time simply because I find climbing while standing hurts my old knees too much.

weeksy59

So then....

Which is the bike to buy LOL.

To make it easier... 1 HT and 1 FS either from Halfords, or something i can realistically expect them to source.

bails87

The relevant Boardmans at your budget?

Whichever GT Agressor is closest to £900?

Northwind

If you could stretch to an Idrive 5 (£1000) it's a bit heavy but the pedalling action is very very good, it's soft when you mash it but not as bad as most decent travel full sussers. It rides like a soft hardtail rather than a clssic full suss. Bit limited in other ways mind.

I know it's way under your budget but the Fury is very good. The Boardman HTs are a bit "XC", they're brilliant but I didn't find the one I rode all that confidence inspiring when pointed downwards- it'd do it but it didn't feel as good as a longer, slacker hardtail. I've not tried the Aggressors or Voodoos but there's probably some nice stuff there.

weeksy59

Northwind wrote:

The Boardman HTs are a bit "XC", they're brilliant but I didn't find the one I rode all that confidence inspiring when pointed downwards-.

That's not necessarily a bad thing mate, i'm rubbish on d/h anyway and 90% of my riding is more XC. IT's only when i get to Swinley/Afan that i actually get anything technical.

Northwind

Oh yeah, not a bad thing at all, the GT's less specialised so it's a bit less good at everything else, the boardman's very very good at what it does well. But still, I think the boardman will need a better rider to get the best out of it.

diy

I would just add that if you don't set up the sag/shocks properly then FS are appalling to ride - properly set they are fine.

On long slow grassy climbs I'll lockout the rear, on gravel track, I'll go short travel on really steep climbs I go long travel, because I want the bike to squat down and lower my CoG. It will also grip better when you are climbing steps or logs.

If its got to be halfords - I think I'd go for the
GT ID5 I-Drive XCR Mountain Bike - the RP2 is a good rear shock on that budget and has pedal platform/pro pedal